The 2023 Labour Party (LP) vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, says former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai should be questioned over his recent claim that the Federal Government is paying allowances to bandits.
Baba-Ahmed, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, argued that such a serious statement cannot be treated with levity by the authorities.
“If the so-called office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) would take this statement with levity, then Nuhu Ribadu was never a policeman; he is not a qualified lawyer; he should not be in that office,” he said, dismissing the rebuttal from Ribadu’s office.
Baba-Ahmed calls for police involvement
When pressed on what should be done differently, Baba-Ahmed maintained that the former Kaduna governor should be compelled to provide explanations before security agencies.
“Nasir should be writing some statements to the police, to the courts,” he stressed.
The remarks follow El-Rufai’s comments on Sunday Politics, where he accused the Federal Government and Kaduna State of paying a “monthly allowance” to bandits and sending them food supplies under the guise of a non-kinetic approach.
El-Rufai describes FG approach as ‘kiss-the-bandits policy’
The ex-governor, who previously served as minister in the Federal Executive Council, said he would never adopt such a strategy, describing it as counterproductive.
“What I will not do is to pay bandits, give them a monthly allowance, or send food to them in the name of non-kinetic. It’s nonsense; we’re empowering bandits,” El-Rufai declared.
“It’s not the government of Kaduna State; it’s a national policy driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser, and Kaduna is part of it. Kiss the bandits; that’s the new policy,” he added.
FG, Kaduna deny claims but Baba-Ahmed unconvinced
The Office of the National Security Adviser and the Kaduna State Government swiftly dismissed El-Rufai’s allegation, describing it as false and baseless.
But Baba-Ahmed is not persuaded, insisting the gravity of the allegation requires more than a simple denial.
“That is not a reaction. Are people understanding the gravity of this statement?” he asked.
Expanding on his stance, the LP chieftain said a national policy is a formal declaration made public and celebrated, not something done in secrecy.
“A national policy is the official position of a government; an official declaration that this is what we shall be constitutionally doing; what we shall be legally pursuing,” he explained.
“That is what we call a national policy — it is made public, celebrated, and broadcast to the whole world. Was such a thing held? Why did Nasir say it?” Baba-Ahmed queried.
